| 20111222 International Herald Tribune |
International Herald Tribune Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Page 12, Health + Science,
In reporting sex assault, time is of the essence
A step-by-step procedure in seeking medical care, advice and counseling
By Jane E. Brody
Do you know what to do if you or someone close to you becomes the victim of a sexual assault? A survey released last week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicated that sexual assaults are far more common than previously believed in the the United States, with nearly one woman in five reporting that she had been the victim of rape or attempted rape.
Ideally, anyone who has been forced into a sexual act should be seen within 24 hours at a hospital emergency room where a specially trained team of providers offers medical care and counseling, collects high-quality forensic evidence and supports often terrified victims who may--or may not--choose to pursue legal action.
...The goal, then, is to get these criminals off the streets as quickly as possible, which can happen only if good forensic examinations are done and victims decide to file charges.
...It is entirely up to the victim of a sexual assault whether to report it to the police, which can be done weeks or even months after the attack. Even if she thinks at the time that she wants only medical help and time to heal, she might change her mind later. Should that happen, the National Center for the Victims of Crime urges a course of action that best preserve evidence that could lead to apprehension and conviction of the assailant...
David CK Chang, SSN057-86-4042,
December 22, 2011, Thursday,
National Central Library,
Taipei City
